


Down and Under

by SuperNatuGirL (orphan_account)



Series: Detroit: become brothers [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Big bro connor, Blue Blood, Brothers RK1700, But connor hank and gavin call him nines, Captain Allen - Freeform, CyberLife, Dad Hank, Disabling androids, Gun shots, Hurt/Comfort, Its not incest if its a couple of android self proclaimed brothers, Just kidding bitches its full blown rk1700 slash, Just no smut, Kidnapping, Legit good partner gavin, Lil bro nines, M/M, Possessive Nines, Protective Nines, Slight slash if you squint, The brothers are amazing. Fight me, There will be jericho okay, Thirium, Thirium leaking, Torture, maybe later - Freeform, rk900 registered name is Richard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-04 05:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15834252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/SuperNatuGirL
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple walk with him and Nines, some kind of habit they both have developed for some time now.But then a murder was reported in and Connor and Nines were the closest ones to the scene, so they go, despite today being their day off.It was supposed to be a simple murder investigation — but then things go south so quickly that the RK brothers ended up being kidnapped by a familiar face.(Inspired by RK1700 art on twitter by @agikun)





	1. Saturday, May 8th, 2039.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Brilcrist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brilcrist/gifts).



> i love comments. Feed me

Connor likes saturdays.

 

Saturdays used to be nothing to him some months back — back when he was RK800 Connor, serial number 313 248 317 - 51 and the Android sent by Cyberlife. None of the seven days in a week was important to him but the mission and mission alone. Back then, Connor was just a machine whose life wasn't even his own.

 

But now is different — Connor is different. He is now a living being, not a machine and his life is no longer anyone's but his own. He is capable of having his own thoughts for himself, no more Amanda greeting him everytime he closes his eyes. He is perfectly able to say what he wants to say and do what he wants to do.

 

Connor is certainly able to pick anything for a personal favorite. And he's been told that humans sometimes pick their favorite day.

 

So it was only normal when Connor picks out his own favorite day.

 

Everything began 5 months ago. Connor had somehow managed to wake Nines up on the revolution day, along with thousands of Androids he freed that day. He was nervous at first and scared at the same time of the possibility of the 'waking up' process to be a failure. He was afraid that his successor is too advanced that converting him to a deviant would be a waste of time _and_ life, assuming that he'll be killed afterwards.

 

But then again it worked; converting the RK900 to be a deviant was a success and Connor was happy.

 

It's just that, he didn't know that waking up the RK900 would result in them creating a whole new level of mental and somehow physical bond between themselves. His successor was instantly attached to him (not literally, of course) and so did Connor with him.

 

Their relationship quickly developed from the same line of androids to brothers real quick. It went from calling each other their model names to actual names (Connor-Richard) to nicknames in just a matter of days.

 

On saturday, November 27th 2038 or five months ago, Eights and Nines went out of their home (previously only Hank and Sumo's) and took a small walk to the nearest park. It was supposed to be a one time thing but both Connor and Nines liked it so they made it a habit. Walking around, enjoying their surroundings and each other's company, talking about their week and so on.

 

Just walking and bonding.

 

Thus why he likes Saturdays so much. And today is a saturday too, so Connor likes it.

 

Except that he isn't quite enjoying himself today. There are things troubling him down and he can hardly focus. Besides, he got quite a bad feeling about today. About this particular _Saturday_.

 

Nines, of course, noticed the troubling look that Connor was doing a piss-poor job at hiding. Hank noticed it too — in fact, both of them noticed the look on Connor's face this past week but decided not to poke any further.

 

Well, not yet anyway as Nines told Hank a few days ago that he'll be asking Connor why when they have their walk on saturday.

 

"Let's go, Eights," Nines called out. His long fingered hand is outstretched for his brother to take. "We have to go earlier because I fear that we will be home quite late"

 

"Ah," Connor immediately takes Nines hand with his own, oddly similar in every way possible from length to the hints of freckles there; because somehow, hands are the only thing that is _the same_ about them. "Forgive me. Let's go, then"

 

They walked out, still hand in hand just like they apparently always does in all of their walks. No retreating skins like when they make intercommunication on some other occasions. Just pure, hands holding. Something they found calming, comforting and soothing.

 

Something that makes them _human_.

 

"What is it that is troubling you down, dear brother?"

 

Two kids suddenly pass by them, one an android child model and the other an actual human. They are playfully chasing each others, genuine smiles plastered on their faces and happy laughs still echoes on the somehow busy street. A sight you don't see anywhere just 5 months back.

 

Connor knows this conversation will come up anyway, no matter what he does to hide his problems. Nines knows him and so does Hank and he's been told by the lieutenant before that he's a terrible liar despite being the second most advanced android ever made.

 

Hiding anything from both of them, especially from Nines, is actually something that is incredibly useless.

 

But he wasn't exactly hiding what's bothering him. He just decided to not talk, is all.

 

A small bird flew past their heads and Connor looks up to the sky. His hand tighter around Nines' own.

 

"It was about the android kidnapping that has been happening recently. I just... I think something is just not right about this whole thing, you know?" He sighed. "We managed to save some almost destroyed androids and tried to keep them safe with us. But then they got kidnapped straight from the precinct?"

 

Nines hums, face soft yet genuinely serious as he looks at his brother's still troubled expression. His thumb running in a circling motion on Connor's forehand, wordlessly telling his brother 'it's okay, I'm here'.

 

Connor continues. "I feel like someone in the precinct is actually working against us"

 

Nines frowns at Connor's words. "Like double agent, you mean?"

 

The brown eyed android nods. "Exactly like double agent. Although," Connor sighs again, so very human like that anyone could easily assume he is an actual human if it wasn't for his still present LED. "I still don't know who is it and how to prove my theories. For now I only got my blind suspicion towards anyone but you, Hank and detective Reed"

 

"It's okay, brother. I believe you. Just don't take the burden yourself next time, okay?" Nines assures him. "Just remember that I am still here for you, brother. I will always be there for you"

 

Connor smiles.

 

"We'll just have to keep a close eye to everything from now on. We can't have a traitor in between us in the department. But we have to work together for this, okay?"

 

Connor turns out to still like the saturday, but he still couldn't exactly shake away the uncomfortable feeling in his gut that he got since earlier this morning. So he draws closer to Nines and rests his head on Nines' shoulder, both of them still walking. The park is starting to come into view but they don't rush there. Just keep walking casually, calmly. Enjoying as much calmness Detroit could offer them today.

 

Nines does the same and rests his chin on top of Connor's head.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 "We should head back now,"  Connor says. He is currently trapped in Nines' tight embrace, but doesn't seem to be bothered by his brother's way of displaying affection. In fact, he seems to be enjoying it too, perhaps a bit too much. "It's getting dark. Hank will be worried and Sumo will miss us"

 

As soon as they arrived to the park some hours back, Connor and Nines didn't talk more about any kind of serious topic. Hell, they didn't talk much about anything. They were only walk around the park once, stopped to sit to one of the benches there and spent the rest of their time just embracing each others — or more like, Nines keeping Connor in a tight embrace while Connor just lets himself drowns in Nines' larger figure.

 

The silence was sort of intentional, actually. Mostly because Nines just have a strong urge of providing Connor all the comfort he could offer. It seemed to be working, just a little bit too well, apparently, as Connor clings to the comfort like his life depends on it.

 

But then, the day keeps getting older fast. It'll be dark soon so it's time for them to go back home. If they don't arrive before dark, Hank will be worried, even though he wouldn't admit it out loud. Sumo would probably whines by the front door, like he always does when either Hank, Nines or Connor are home later than they should be.

 

It was also just a cheap excuse for Connor who probably wants to go home because he misses them both too. Nines knows Connor better than Connor does of himself.

 

But Nines doesn't want this moment to end yet.

 

In between Connor's darker locks, Nines sighed. He buries his nose deeper and plant kisses on top of Connor's head.

 

"Fine, but in a minute," came his muffled reply. "I want to enjoy being with you longer"

 

Connor chuckles at that. His fingers tap Nines muscles arm that is still securely wrapped around him. "We basically live in the same house, sleep on the same bed every night and literally work at the same workplace"

 

Nines hums. He pulls Connor into a deeper hug, something Connor thought wouldn't be possible but apparently, it still is. "I know"

 

 "You big baby. Come on, we can continue this on bed"

 

Another hum. "Fine, as long as you let Hank sleeps tomorrow's off"

 

Hearing his brother, Connor rises an eyebrow. "You strike a deal with Hank?"

 

"A win-win deal, really," a kiss. "I let Hank sleep tomorrow's off without having to worry about you 'having my ass', as I quote him saying, and that only means I get to have you all to myself tomorrow"

 

 "But how about Sumo?"

 

"Not even Sumo can have you"

 

The chuckle that escaped Connor's lips wasn't something he planned to be loud, but it does. Fortunately, the closest people by them are far enough to give them unnecessary attention.

 

"It's a deal if you'll let me pet Sumo before we go to bed"

 

"Done, but no longer than five minutes"

 

 

"You know," Connor breathes out. "You are just evil"

 

 Nines hums again. "So I've been made aware by pretty much everyone I've ever met"

 

Connor chuckles softly. "Okay, okay. Deal"

 

Nines finally peels himself off from Connor, sending his smug/evil smirk towards his brother's way. He grabs Connor's hand back as he drags his brother away from the park. Connor, being somehow used to Nines' possessiveness towards him, could only roll his eyes. A small smile plastered on his face.

 

The sun is setting down, making the sky a perfect combination of soft pink, purple, baby blue and reddish orange. Beautiful, in short, and Connor's heart swells.

 

Both of them are still enjoying the walk, enjoying the beautiful scenery and obviously enjoying each other's company. But suddenly, both of their still present LED blinks a bright yellow for a couple of seconds.

 

"Are you getting this?"

 

Of course Connor would get the same message as him. But Nines bothers asking and Connor replies anyway. "Yes. Let's go and check it out?"

 

They just received a message from officer Wilson. It was about gunshootings some locals heard before, that turned out to be a double murder. There were already detective Tina Chen and detective Chris Miller on the scene, investigating, though. But the scene is only a couple of blocks away from their current location, and it won't hurt to check it out, right?

 

Nines considered this. Even though both of them is somehow wearing their standard Cyberlife's issued suits, today is still their day off and besides, there are already detectives taking care of the scene.

 

But Connor's face is something he _knows_ he could never resist.

 

"Fine. But if it turns out they could handle the situation, we are going back home immediately"

 

Connor smiles. "Of course"

 

In a second, they stops holding hands and starts running. Even though Nines is generally a more advanced version than Connor, the RK800 could still hold his own, so they are running just side to side at an equally fast speed.

 

They arrived at the scene approximately 20 seconds later, greeted by officer Willer who is currently standing outside the alleyway of two abandoned buildings.

 

"Detective Connor, Detective Richard, I don't know I'll be seeing you both here," the man says. "But anyways, we found the bodies near the dumpsters there. Detective Chen and Miller are inside that building, investigating," he points to the building on his left, or the one on to the bothers' right.

 

Officer Wilson gestured for them to follow him into the valley. Two dead bodies coming into view, just beside an abandoned looking dumpsters. Their position clearly indicates that they died somewhere else and got dumped there.

 

Nines was about to register what his scanners told him about the victim, when suddenly they hear gunshots. The gunshots, still on going, apparently, is coming from the building Officer Wilson said their co-workers had disappeared to.

 

"Fuck," the officer curses loudly.

 

 "Call back up and an ambulance!" Connor shouts.

 

"On it!" The officer shouts while he ran to the opposite direction, back to his parked patrol car. 

 

Before they are about to rush in, Nines grabbed Connor's hand. He takes out a gun from his suit and hands it to his brother.

 

Connor frowns when he recognized the gun.

 

"You brought my gun —" his eye catches the sight of another gun Nines pulls out, "— too?"

 

The RK900 shrugs. "You can never be too careful"

 

Connor decides to talk about it more with Nines later, so he only nods to his brother. Nines and him immediately sprints towards the open door of the abandoned building, guns ready.

 

 Admittedly, Nines was being a little incautious when he ran in. Thankfully, he registered the speeding bullet just in time to dodge it. He's lucky that the bullet only graze his left cheek, instead of hitting him straight on the face.

 

"Nines, over here!"

 

Before he turns and run towards Connor's voice, Nines does a quick scan of his surroundings. There are approximately 6 armed people in the building, one of them is actually a sniper. According to what his scanner shows, the one who almost shot him earlier is indeed the same sniper Who is hiding behind an open window to another room.

 

 He blinks his scanner away from his sight and run straight to his brother.

 

Connor is not alone. He's currently crouching beside a wounded Detective Tina Chen, who is leaning heavily behind a big metal shelf. Beside them is her partner, Detective Chris Miller who is currently engaged in a shootout. Nines decided to help the detective and throws himself beside him.

 

He could only managed to shoot two bullets to two different areas before both him and the detective ducks back to avoid the bullet shower aimed towards them.

 

One of the two bullets ended up hitting an enemy on the forehead.

 

_1 down. 5 more to go._

 

"Damn," detective Chen lets out a very shaky breath. She hisses as Connor replaces her hand, putting slightly better pressure against the wound on her shoulder. "It's so good to see you both"

 

"The bullet, fortunately misses your heart or any major artery, but it got in deep enough that it isn't doing it's supposed job to block the blood in, which is why you are still bleeding out at an alarming rate. If we don't get you out of here fast, you'll most likely to die from bloodlost"

 

"But there are like, four of them!"

 

"Wrong," Nines says calmly. "There are two more of them. I already shot one, but the other one is a  sniper," Nines corrects her.

 

Tina curses. "Exactly. You can't expect us to leave you here dealing with them!"

 

"Besides, they clearly seems like trained professionals," detective Miller adds.

 

"We are also professionals, detective. And we could handle damage better than both of you"

 

 Suddenly, Connor's back straighten. His left hand remains on Tina's wounded chest, but he rises the gun on his right hand and starts shooting. He shot three bullets to one direction and ducks back again.

 

Tina could still hear the faint sound of something hitting the ground, despite the still on-going shooting. She bit her lower lip as the realization of being 'only human' hits her fast and hard.

 

"That's four enemies left"

 

She lets out a shaky laugh. "I will regret this, won't I?"

 

Conner offers her a small smile. "Just hope for the best, alright?"

 

The RK800 turns his head to Chris and he nods. Chris grits his teeth and then lets out a deep breath. The detective hands his gun for Connor.

 

"Take my gun, it'll be useful if yours ran out of bullets"

 

Chris quickly take his Jacket off, folds it and replaces Connor's hand with the jacket. Tina presses her hand back on the wound with the jacket, hissing once again as she tries her best to suppress the pain.

 

Tine throws her gun towards Nines.

 

"Have mine, okay," she gulps back the blood that is threatening to come out of her throat. "And boys, be safe. Get out of the building in one piece, you hear me?"

 

Chris nods. "Come back safe or Hank and Gavin will both have our asses on a stick"

 

 They immediately get into action after that. Nines drawing the enemy's attention to himself when he got out of his cover to another safer cover, while shooting. Miller has Chen on his arms and starts sprinting towards the exit with Connor acting as a shield, guns blazing on both hands. He got an enemy with a perfect aim on the middle of the forehead, instantly killing his opponent. Nines on the other hands, shots every fifteen bullets fired by the enemy. He succesfully kills another one, narrowing the number of their enemy to two now.

 

Connor runs back in as fast as he possibly could and returns to their previous position. He couldn't get a look of Nines so he starts an open connection between them.

 

'Nines, are you okay?'

 

Nines lets out a sigh as soon as Connor's voice echoes on his mind. He's relieved that his brother is okay at least.

 

'I am. You are okay too, right?'

 

'Yes,' Connor answers calmly. But Nines could hear a hint of fear in his voice.

 

'What's the problem, dear brother?'

 

Connor hesitates. Anger quickly bubbles in his chest — not towards Connor, of course, but towards anyone and anything else that was able to make his brother's feels troubled. Fear.

 

'The victims outside,' Nines could hear Connor pauses to continue shooting again. He does the same but remains focusing on his brother's voice. 'They were both androids. Our enemies are trained humans'

 

The realization hits Nines hard. He misses the fifteen bullets mark so he stops and waits again.

 

He really didn't pay attention to the information his scanner was trying to tell him when he scanned the victims before.

 

Dead androids. Well trained humans. They are currently dealing with the same android kidnapping ring who, based on their investigations so far, are full of well-trained humans. They are also the same people that they've been believing to be kidnapping survived androids straight from the precinct and/or the android trauma rehabilitation centre.

If all of this is true then Connor and Nines are in serious deep trouble.

 

_'Boys'_

 

It's Tina. She's able to connect with them successfully because they are both in an open communication. She's probably outside, calling them via her phone while waiting for the ambulance to come.

 

 'Good news, the SWAT team is here'

 

Nines sighed. 'About time,' he replies.

 

'Stay safe, okay?'

 

She sounds so worried.

 

'We will be, Tina,' Connor replies and the line between them and Tina disconnected.

 

It's only five seconds later that a team of SWAT, fully armed, comes to the rescue.

 

They managed to take down one person, but Connor notices the sniper just in time before he disappeared from where he was. He was about to shoot — he aimed alright but the man was too fast and Connor doesn't have clear view other than the open window.

 

Connor knows for sure that he needs to pit an end to this whole ordeal. He needs to catch that man before he disappeared to do more sick things towards other Androids.

 

Connor runs.

 

* * *

 

 

Nines thanked the rA9 that finally, finally everything is over. At least he had thought that the problems of today was finally over.

 

But then he catch the sight of his brother, running fast towards the place where the sniper was. Another man, Nines recognized him as Captain Allen, is only a second behind him. They both quickly disappeared to another room and Nines curses.

 

He follows them.

 

But Connor got at least five seconds head start from him. If Nines couldn't follow Connor, the human behind him would still be slow enough for him to catch. But there are just so many obstacles that forces Nines to do jumps, ducks and squeeze in between small spaces.

 

Until he hears a gunshot from across the room and the next thing he knows he's on the floor, bullet to the chest and a bunch of warnings filled his sight.

 

He blinks the warnings away and then roll to his side and stands up, throwing his body to the nearest big object to shield himself. Bullets embed the ground where he was before he moved away.

 

He opens another connection with Connor.

 

'Eights, come back. It's too dangerous. There are more of them in this building'

 

It was only because of the bullet's force that Nines fell before. But the bullet itself didn't hit anything major like biocomponents for example. His self repair program kicks into action immediately, repairing some thirium wires that got destroyed by the bullet.

 

All in all, Nines is okay.

 

But he still fears for Connor.

 

'I know,' Connor says. Nines searches his brother's voice for any sign of malfunction, but he's glad when he found none.

 

'Nines? What happened? Did you got hurt?'

 

As he could detect any kind of malfunction or damage sustained just by hearing Connor's voice, his brother too, of course, could do the same with him. Both of them are an open book to each others — connected in ways nobody would ever understand.

 

'I'm okay,' Nines voice is full of comfort and assurance that _yes, it's okay, I'm okay_ , to calms Connor down.

 

'You are okay too, right?'

 

Of course he is. Nines knows, but it soothes him more to hear the words coming from Connor himself.

 

'I am, Nines. Okay, stay right where you are, I'll be th—'

 

Connor's voice in his head is suddenly replaced by statics, the sound fills his mind and the call suddenly ends and he —

 

 _Something_ just happened to Connor and his brother is in danger. Something in him _shifts_ and Nines tries to ignore the bad thoughts that are starting to fill his mind.

 

~~Connor is dead.~~

 

Nines starts to run, ignoring the bullets that embed themselves into his body and he blinks the warnings that are popping up away from his sight.

 

Without even looking, Nines held his gun up, gun resting on his neck and points so something — _someone_ behind him and he pulls the trigger.

 

The bullet shower stops immediately and a faint sound of something hits the ground goes ignored by Nines.

 

He needs to go to where Connor is as fast as possible.

 

'Please be okay, brother dear'

 

His stress level is in dangerous 87% mark and slowly rising.

 

* * *

 

Connor thought of nothing but to catch the sniper as he runs towards the area where the sniper disappeared to. Someone was following him and Connor was actually sure it was Nines, so he stayed silent and focus solely on the task he's given to himself.

 

The abandoned building used to be something of an old factory. There were so many stuffs left behind that it turned to be pretty annoying obstacles for chasing like this.

 

He was running, jumping and ducking — he's going as fast as he possibly could, getting further and even further away from where the shooting had occured.

 

But then when Nines voice greets him via an open connection, Connor frowns. He was sure Nines was just a second behind him and with distance so close, he could've just talk out loud.

 

So he knows that whoever following him is indeed not Nines so Connor stops.

 

'Eights,' Nines says, worry and _something_ _other_ could be heard clearly by Connor. 'It's too dangerous. There are more of them in this building'

 

Connor turns around but he's greeted by empty space. His stress levels are climbing up to 67%. So he tries to calm himself with Nines' voice.

 

'I know'

 

But then Connor realize, that the _something other_ he just heard from Nines was actually an indicator that his brother is currently sustaining damage.

 

His stress levels climbs up to a dangerous 85%.

 

 'Nines? What happened? Did you got hurt?' He couldn't help the concern that fully coates his words.

 

'I'm okay.' Nines' voice is calming, full of comfort and genuine.

 

Connor believes him.

 

'You are okay too, right?'

 

Connor forgets anything else and focuses on his connection with Nines — the only way he can do to monitor his brother's condition.

 

'I am, Nines,' he replies. The RK800's voice is  equally as calm as Nines' own previously and also very genuine. Nines' probably got himself shot and he doesn't want to put anymore stress on his brother, knowing just how protective he could be towards Connor. Besides, he trully is okay. So there's no reason to lie.

 

Connor takes a deep breath. 'Okay, stay right where you are. I'll be—'

 

He was too focused on Nines, ignoring his surroundings and most especially ignored the _missing_ person that he thought was Nines. It was only seconds but apparently was enough for his enemy to sneak up on him and lands a hard blow to the left side of his head.

 

The blow had been so hard that Connor loses his footings. It destroyed a part of his skull plate and the pieces cuts to some major wires; the one that connects his processor to a signal receiver hardware, instantly cutting his open connection with Nines. The damage also made him unable to connect to anyone at all. Some other pieces cut through the wire that connects his left eye from his processor, literally destroyed his left optical function.

 

Connor is afraid that the last one would be permanent.

 

But it was strange — the blow had strong but wasn't strong enough to destroy his processor completely. The blow hadn't meant to kill, but only to keep him from calling back up or any kind of connection at all.

 

It was as if the hit had been surgical.

 

 He regains back his his footing, refusing to fall to the ground. He looks up to see his attacker; his half sight still provides him with data file of the attacker stangely unmasked face —

 

To be quite honest, Connor isn't surprised when Captain Allen's name and data about him appeared on his sight in bold red and blue letters. Because Connor did believe that there is actually a police involvement in this whole thing, didn't he?

 

But what he didn't tell Nines was that there is, indeed, someone that he suspected to have some kind of involvement with the android kidnapping and killing ring. And that someone being the SWAT team captain that he met on the day he was first activated. The reason why he didn't tell anyone, even Nines, about his suspicion of Captain Allen's involvement is because Connor never got enough evidence to prove his point.

 

But when everything unfolds in front of him, proving his theories to be right — he's too broken to even call his brother.

 

Helll, he's too even broken to see properly.

 

The man is currently holding a thirium covered metal bat in one hand. Connor should be afraid of his fate right now because, oh god, _he doesn't want to die yet_ , but the Captain's expression wasn't something he expected to be _there_.

 

Captain Allen looks helpless.

 

"I'm sorry, Connor," the man says and he sounds so _genuine_. How could— "I'm sorry but I don't have a choice"

 

The man's voice is surprisingly making his stress levels starting to drop.

 

79%

 

Connor doesn't even move when Allen slowly makes his way towards him.

 

When the bat drops to the floor, it creates a loud and heavy clank from the impact. But connor keeps his sight locked on Captain Allen's eyes.

 

His stress levels drops again even when the SWAT captain holds his chin up.

 

"I am trully sorry for what I did to you and what I'll do next," he whispers. "But I have no choice in this matter"

 

Connor realizes what Captain Allen was trying to do until it was all too late. The slightly shorter man's fingers are moving on the skin under his chin and jaw and presses on something there.

 

From behind his white shirt, his thirium pump shows itself, practically tears his synthetic skin apart, drawing thirium out of the wound. Connor could feel the time getting slower. He could also feel the previously ignored wound on his left part of his skull, fresh thirium dropping down the side of his face and he could feel it dropping down his broken left eye.

 

 He finally take notice of the message his scanner has been trying to tell him.

 

**WARNING: THIRIUM LEAKING FOUND**

 

**THIRIUM, MODEL RK800 SERIAL NUMBER 313 248 317 - 51 — REGISTERED NAME CONNOR**

 

The leaking wasn't actually from his wounds, but from his mouth instead. That's why his scanners won't stop showing him the same information over and over again.

 

The horror didn't even make it to his face as Captain Allen wastes no time grabbing his thirium pump, twisting it to a 180° turn and clicks it back in.

 

In an instant, Connor's mind goes absolutely blank. He's no longer having the full control of his body — no, he doesn't even have any control of his body at all.

 

Connor couldn't even hear the echoing scream as his body makes an impact with the floor beneath.

 

Connor could still see but he couldn't think anymore.

 

* * *

 

 

 When Nines reaches Connor's last location that he managed to pin point before their connection fails, it was all too late. He's only in time to see his brother falling on his back like a rock.

 

Nines screams and fell to his knees.

 

The horror dissolves into something new; hot boiling anger when he realized that the one resposible for his brother's condition was the man he thought he could trust.

 

His snarl is something completely animalistic.

 

"I'm gonna make you pay for that!"

 

Nines got back to his feet fast, but the captain was faster to draw his gun out, his heavy boot putting pressure on Connor's chest and a gun pointed straight to his face.

 

"Let's see what you'll do if I do this"

 

He pulls the 'hammer' of his gun back and his finger secured around the trigger, ready to pull it any second he wants. Nines stops short on his tracks.

 

Captain Allen smacks his lips together. "As expected"

 

"Don't kill him," Nines suddenly begs. He presses his anger back and threw his ego out of the window in just a second.

 

The man shrugs. "I won't, unless you behave and let my men tie both of you down"

 

"What do you want from us?"

 

"I don't want anything from you," he replies a bit too quickly. "But the big boss does want something. But I was under no obligation to keep both of you alive. I could just kill him if you dare to do anything"

 

Nines, having basically no choice in the matter, throw his hands up. His gun and Tina's were long forgotten when he fell earlier. He raises both of his hans up in a surrender motion.

 

 "I'm not going to, as long as you keep him alive," Nines bit the insides of his cheek.

 

Captain Allen seemed to be considering this before he finally shrug. With a snap of his fingers, five men suddenly appears from their hiding places, but Nines paid them no mind. He doesn't even move when three men starting to tie him up with glowing blue wires. His eyes are locked to Connor the whole time, taking in all the damages sustained by his brother.

 

The remaining two men moves Connor's unmoving body to tie him up with the same materials as the ones they use for Nines.

 

But something in him clenches when Connor's head tilted to the side. He could see thirium covering half of his face from a wound on his left skull. But what hurts Nines the most is Connor's still open eyes.

 

What stares back at him are two emotionless eyes, but with completely different colors. The right one is Connor's original white sclera and dark brown iris. But the left one consist of dark navy sclera and white iris.

 

 

Connor is broken. And Nines wasn't there to protect him.

 

It was all his fault, Nines realizes. If only he was fast enough to follow Connor, none of this would probably happen. They both could take down Captain Allen together and maybe, Nines could lessen the chance of Connor of getting damaged.

 

 

 

For the first time in his life, Nines deems himself to be a failure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://mobile.twitter.com/agikun/status/1034448346423820288
> 
> Full credit goes to Bril or @agikun on Twitter for letting me make a fanfiction version of his trully amazing art. If any of you all reading this hasn't seen the amazing art, you all should check it out so you won't be missing one of the best things in life!
> 
> Sorry that I couldn't make this as pefect as I wanted this to be, but I tried so here you go!
> 
> Please remember that this chapter was only edited on the first quarter of it and there are probably many typos and grammar errors around but it's 0.22 am here and I'm legit needs to sleep. I got to work tomorrow, ayy
> 
> And last but not least, I need more friends so if you by any chance have twitter, follow me @sup_jen <3


	2. Kiss me, Kill me, Love me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW HOW TRAIN WORKS
> 
> COMMENTS NOURISHES MY SKIN

_"I'm okay now, Nines. It wasn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself"_

 

_Connor had always been sincere with his words. He never tell Nines things he'd wanted to hear but only the things as it is and has never lied to him before. Whenever Nines doesn't feel like himself, Connor would always be there and show him just how much he's worth. Connor would always be there to lead Nines to find himself back._

 

_He'd soothe him with his truthful words, guide him with his small touches, and Nines would find himself in a kiss full of comfort. Most of the time, Nines would be extremely grateful to Connor but sometimes, especially in times like this, Nines would be ashamed of himself because it's Connor who's lying on a hospital bed but it was him who heal Nines of the mental wounds he'd inflicted upon himself._

 

_And Nines would blame his own self over and over again until he's starting to lost himself in the sea of his own hatred once again. But Connor would be there. He's always there for him. He'd always be the one to protect Nines instead, in ways more than anyone thought possible._

 

_Even when it's Nines who swore to the world that he'll protect Connor._

 

_"I shouldn't have had checked on the other side, that time. I should've stayed with both you and Gavin"_

 

_"But then Hank would probably be dead if you did," Connor counters back._

 

_They were in a joint investigation together. They had found out about a red ice drug ring that has been going around and murdering people; humans and androids alike, and were sent to investigate what suspected to be their headquarters. They were inside of an abandoned building, together but somehow they parted ways and it was Hank and Nines while Gavin went with Connor._

 

_There were unexpected snipers who (one caught and the other dead) were tasked to kill both Hank and Gavin, since they are both human and humans are so easy to kill. Connor noticed the sniper just in time to throw himself in front of the speeding bullet that was aimed for Gavin's heart._

 

_And if it wasn't for Nines shooting the other sniper that was targetting Hank before he was able to pull the trigger, Hank would have been dead today._

 

_Nines doesn't want the man who has considered him a son to die in the hand of an enemy. He also knew how bad it would be for Connor if Nines had stayed with him and Gavin instead._

 

_How broken Connor would be today if Hank had died that day._

 

_Nines doesn't want to see his brother emotionally broken. That kind of wound could never be fixed._

 

_So perhaps, Connor was right. It wasn't his fault. But still —_

 

_"Stop thinking," Connor whispers. His fingers are on the back of Nines head and slowly brings him closer and closer — "I hate it when you keep blaming yourself for the things you didn't do or you thought you could've done"_

 

_Nines knows he doesn't deserve the kiss. But Connor makes it like he does. The kiss also makes him slowly coming back to his senses every passing seconds. It feels like coming home._

 

_So he kisses Eights back, gently._

 

 

* * *

 

 

Hank hadn't trusted Nines at fist. In fact, he had tried to shoot him square on the face the first time he saw the guy. 

 

It wasn't intentional, honestly. He'd do that to anyone who shows up in his front door, carying the android he has considered a son, beaten and bloody and unconscious. If only he hadn't played Russian Roulette with the wall just some minutes before, Nines would be dead in just a second.

 

But then Hank saw something in his eyes, straight pass the blank expression he wore that night. He had seen fear, concern and something akin to anger Hank knew wasn't for him nor Connor. It was probably for something — someone, anyone at all who did that to Connor.

 

Hank had pushed everything aside and quickly lead Nines to his bedroom, shoving everything on his bed to make room for Connor. Physically, Connor hadn't looked that damaged but Hank knew it was probably bad enough that it resulted in Connor 'passing out'.

 

And then, Nines explained the situation first, forgetting any kind of basic introduction about himself and frankly, Hank was glad that he did. It showed that the android (who, Hank finally realized the day after, looks almost the same yet so different from Connor) cared so much toward his android son and it... it warms Hank's heart to this very day. Connor had been through things he shouldn't be through in the first place and he deserves so much more.

 

When Nines had explained to him just what Cyberlife was trying to do to Connor, Hank's blood boiled in his veins. It still is, whenever he somehow thought about it.

 

"During the RK200's speech, Cyberlife took control of Connor's processors and wanted him to shoot the RK200. Connor was somehow able to fight back, but he wasn't strong enough. He —" Hank remembered how Nines' voice was shaky from fear and anger. "He tried to kill himself instead, to break free from their control. Fortunately I was near enough and I realized what was happening and I had to —"

 

That was also the first time he saw a raw, unmasked expression on Nines' generally straight face.

 

If Hank had thought Nines was responsible for everything that had happened, then he had immediately forgive him on the exact second Nines said, "I had to hurt him just to get the gun out of his hand. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I never meant that. I would never want to hurt him. I'm sorry"

 

That day, though Hank would probably never admit it, was the day he earned himself another android son. One that is fully capable of doing the things he as an old human being couldn't truly do —

 

— _like protecting Connor._ Hank trusts Nines enough to let Connor safe. And so far, Nines had never disappoint him.

 

Even when he received the text message from Connor about dropping by a crime scene then quickly turned into a shootout, as according to Wilson, Hank had rushed to the crime scene immediately. But he still believes Nines to take care of the situation.

 

But then an explosion could be heard just when Hank was a minute away from the scene. He doesn't know what to think anymore.

 

When he stops his car by the side of the main road and rushes out to the scene, he saw Reed speeding with his motor bike.

 

Hank ignored the way Gavin Reed practically threw his bike away, not bothering to park it properly. It was as if he doesn't have a second more to waste.

 

The lieutenant might be the first to run, but Gavin is young and fast. It's only right that they both stops in front of a particularly horrified Officer Wilson, who is still crouched on the ground, hands on his ears.

 

"Wilson! Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Hank immediately drops to his knees. He holds the officer's shoulders and shakes him lightly.

 

Officer Wilson finally take his hands away from his ears and looks up to Hank. His expression remained horrified and Hank knew he isn't going to like this.

 

"L-leutenant?" he chokes out.

 

"Yes, I'm here. It's okay, just... Just tell me what happened." Hank does try to be as calm as possible.

 

Meanwhile, Gavin looks all kinds of troubled but otherwise stay silent. While it's true that Gavin somehow had changed from his previously asshole self and managed to form some kind of friendship (quite a strange one, at that) with both Nines and Connor, he's also still a police detective and Gavin is professional if he needs to be. So Hank is gonna try to be the police lieutenant instead of a worried dad to two android sons whose safety is abviously doubted.

 

"It started out as a patrol," officer Wilson begins. He took a deep breath in, calming his shaky self. Hank helps him by carefully massaging his shoulders. "Some people called in to hear gunshots. Detective Chen and Detective Miller were behind me, just in case. At the scene, we found two dead androids —" he absent mindedly points at somewhere behind his back — but Hank only nods and Gavin doesn't care about anything but the part where Nines and Connor got involved.

 

"I did my job and report about the bodies. I put detective Chen and Miller under the case as they were currently the ones handling it. They were scanning the area that time and entered that building. But then, detective Connor and detective Richard came. I was just showing them the corpses — androids, but then the shootings started from where detective Chen and Miller were. They told me to call for ambulance and back up. So I did. Not long after that, detective Miller carried out detective Chen. She was shot and was loosing a lot of blood. But both detective Connor and detective Richard remained in. The backup came; it was the SWAT team, under Captain Allen"

 

Allen Rogers. Hank was never quite in a good terms with him, especially after Hank had tried to beat the shit out of him just because he had looked weird towards Connor. He still believes that Allen somehow deserved it, probably so much more than two punches in the face, but he doesn't know what makes him thinks so. He just got a bad gut feeling whenever he sees the guy.

 

"The shootings kept happening for about ten minutes or so — then the whole building suddenly explodes"

_No._

 

 

 _No._  

 

 _"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. They were still inside when the explosion happened"_  

 

If Hank isn't already on his knees, he'd surely drop and sink to the ground. Both of his hand fell to his sides and _everything feels so numb —_

 

When Gavin swore next to him, Hank could only hear it in muffled sounds. Like hearing outside voice while underwater

 

The very first time the same thing happened to him, was when he saw Cole die.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Gavin hated his life. He hated how much of a slut his mother was and how shitty had she'd been when raising him. She was an alcoholic too and a drug user at some point in her life. He hated how his biological father had not been there for him and his mother but to his other wife and other child instead. Gavin hated how life was treating him probably even before he was born.

 

He hated it when his mother died of OD when he was only eight years old. He hated it when his father suddenly remember him out of nowhere and took Gavin with him. He had hated the fact that he got a brother from another mother and he had hated his brother for having such a good and loving mother. He also hated the fact that someone else's mother was the one who provided him the love he never knew he needed. 

 

He hated how much of a failure he was growing up. Watching how much of a genius Elijah was when he was only sixteen of age. How his half brother has been messing up with Robots at that age while he was out either smoking or drinking. Elijah had been and will always be the painful reminder that the woman he now calls mother was, is and will never be someone of his own blood.

 

Then, at such a young age — barely 20, his half brother Elijah had introduced into the world his own creation. It was an Android he had named Chloe.

 

Elijah just named an android after Gavin's alcoholic and drug user _mother_.

 

Gavin made it his personal mission to hate every android ever created by his own brother. Even ended up destroying quite a large number of them, just to make sure Elijah knows just how much Gavin despised him for that.

 

Gavin knew Elijah didn't know what the mother of his half brother's name was. But Gavin didn't care. He still hated Elijah for it. He hated Elijah even more for _not knowing_.

 

Gavin hated android. He had hated Connor, who did nothing to deserve it. He had tried to shoot him twice in the face but yet, Connor never take it too personal. Connor had forgave Gavin even before Gavin had enough guts to man up and apologize.

 

Nines did made it personal at first. Even got gavin by the collar and had almost throw him across the room and he would have had done it if it wasn't for Connor literally punching Nines out of the thought of killing his own partner. In one of the joint investigations they had ever done together, Connor had thrown himself just to catch a bullet that was meant to kill Gavin. He had almost died for that. Permanently, perhaps, because Cyberlife was gone as soon as the revolution happened.

 

Such an act had made Gavin hated himself above anything else that he hated that time.

 

He had hated himself so much that he had almost jumped off of a building.

 

It was the hospital where Connor was in, so it was only right that Nines was also there, thankfully just in time to prevent Gavin from being placed in a coffin.

 

Instead, Nines had deemed it necessary to place Gavin on a hospital bed instead.

 

 _"My brother almost died for you and this is what you want do to him?!"_  

 

That was the first and the last time Nines had been so angry to anyone at all. It was directed to Gavin and something in his chest hurts more than the wounds he had received from Nines' anger that day. It still hurts to this very day whenever he thought about it.

 

So Gavin stops. He stops hating everything that he shouldn't have been hating in the first place. He stops hating his dead mother and for the first time in so long, he had visited her grave. He stops hating Elijah for everything, though he never think it's necessary to say it to his brother's face. He stops hating Androids especially Chloe and Connor. Hell, he didn't even blame Nines for sending him to a hospital. He stops hating his life and first and foremost, Gavin stops hating himself.

 

While he still got his potty mouth, Gavin has pretty much changed. So much that he managed to form a strange kind of friendship with Connor and Nines. Strange to everyone else's eyes especially his own. Because nobody would've ever thought of that to happen, ever.

 

Gavin, although he probably won't say it out loud ever, cares so much about the self proclaimed android brothers. 

 

[Though Gavin knows they are far away from the term brothers. Well, everybody with eyes know that. Gavin never failed to make it his personal mission to refer Connor and Nines (apparently it's Eights and Nines for them) as lover-droids. Even Hank agrees with Gavin with that.] 

 

Thus, the reason why Gavin's blood ran cold when Wilson made it clear that _yes_ , Connor and Nines were still inside the building when the explosion happened. 

 

"Fucking damn it!"

 

The whole building, located just less than a hundred meters away from them, is now on fire. Since it was abandoned probably years and years ago, there were still many materials that are flammable. Hank and Wilson are still on the floor and the old man is probably too shaken up to say anything right now. Gavin wants to keep him calm but he himself couldn't even _breathe_ properly right now.

 

Gavin couldn't even think properly right now outside of —

 

 _No, no, no no no._  

 

God, please _no_.

 

Then, when he's unable to keep himself standing tall anymore, Gavin fall to his knees.

 

They are dead.

 

_Connor and Nines are dead._

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Nines saw Connor, half still functioning eye and the other dark blue and broken, staring at him with nothingness behind them, Nines threw his care of the world out of the window and focuses solely on his unresponsive brother.

 

It's my fault, Nines blames himself. He had promised Connor before, that he'll protect him. He had told Connor that he will always be there for him but what did he do? If only he had stick by Connor's side since the beginning, none of this would've happened. Connor trusted him with all his life and so does Hank. But today he just let down three people at once, including himself.

 

Gavin would probably be disappointed in him if he knows just how incapable Nines is in keeping Connor safe.

 

"Move them! We'll be blowing this place up to cover our tracks so we'll have to be fast!"

 

Nines glares at every living things that dare enough to touch Connor. He would kill them if he got so much as a loose knot, but these guys are pretty good with disabling him, so Nines could only wait for his chance. In the mean time, he kept an eye on Connor's limp figure. 

 

They moved both him and Connor through a secret passageway underground, somewhere deep in the building. Nines could still hear gunshots, although faintly. It was either there were more people in the building that Nines had originally thought, or it was just some kind of speaker trick for the outside world to hear. Whatever it is, Nines is going to make sure people involved in this are going to suffer so greatly they will remember the day in their _deaths_.

 

The secret passage, as it turns out, was an abandoned railway that hadn't even got the chance to open in the first place. It was first built in 2021, but due to some things Nines honestly doesn't give a damn about, got shut down in two months before it was supposed to open. So it never got printed into any kind of official railway map.

 

_So that's why they are so hard to track down before._

 

They even got their own working bullet train, Nines noticed minutes before they practically threw both him and Connor in one of the three vehicles the train has. Nines glares at the man, who looks scared enough that he quickly shut the door to the vehicle and secured it from the outside.

 

It's dark, but Nines has a perfectly fine working night vision so it doesn't matter much. Besides, his LED still helps even if he deactivate his night vision. His LED still shines as bright as it was supposed to be, even when it's currently colored a steady yellow. None of the bullet wounds Nines currently got could be counted as dangerous to him. The bullets had somehow missed all of his biocomponents, and he's fine, really. His LED is enough a proof of that.

 

Connor's, on the other hand is...

 

... it's red and dim. If the vehicle isn't as dark as it is, Nines would've believed that the LED isn't even shining at all. Dead LED usually means bad things. If it wasn't for the faint glow of red, Nines would've believed that Connor is dead. Especially when now, his originally opened eyes are both closed tightly. Connor must be under a protocol shut down right now due to speeding thirium lost, and honestly Nines is glad that he is. If he's still not under protocol shut down, the thirium loss will be going as fast as the train they are currently in and he'll be dead for sure before they arrived wherever they will be taken to.

 

And Nines doesn't want to watch Connor die with glossy eyes locked on his own. Nines could never live with that. It'll remind him just how much of a failure he is as Connor's —

 

_(("Lover?" Connor's face softens at the word. "I like that"_

 

 _Nines grabs Connor's face in his hands and kisses his now lover's lips.))_  

 

Nines, despite being tightly tied up with some kind of special wires, lies down to rest beside the RK800's equally tied up body. His face is only an inch away from Connor's and his lips are a hair away from his predecessor's own. Nines LED blinks red, the same shade as Connor's LED, only it shines brighter than Connor's dim one.

 

In a very low note, Nines whisper to his lover's cold lips.

 

_"I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry"_

 

Nines doesn't feel like he deserves the kiss, but he needs to find himself before he'd have to face whatever would come after this.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaaand we are done for chapter two!
> 
> First things first, I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than the previous one. But I don't feel like getting to the point just yet, so here ya go. Note that I tried my best to make this chapter works, so please, bear with me. 
> 
> ALSO, THANK YOU FOR THE RESPONSEEEE! Holy shit, I never knew so many people would have liked this story so again, thank you for actually liking this story. And DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE ART THIS STORY WAS INSPIRED FROM. I dropped the link in the previous chapter's end note!
> 
> Oh and here's the actual actual chapter summary:
> 
> Connor: *sneeze*  
> Nines: IM SORRY MY LOVE ITS MY FAULT THAT THE AIR IS UNCLEAN I SHALL BE PUNISHED IM S O R R Y  
> Connor + everyone else: NINES S T O P
> 
> OH! and chapter title is from DIR EN GREY - Child Prey's lyrics!


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